Trust and Belief
by LoonRider
Summary: "What do you think?" It's a simple question, but the gravitas behind it makes Ichijo's heart ache, and all he can think about is how a fight he never asked for may be turning Godai into something he hates. Tsubaki/Ichijo Friendship. Can easily be read as Ichijo/Godai.


**Iiiit's oneshot time! It always kinda bugged me that they cut away right after Tsubaki asked the question in episode 29, so this is my take on Ichijo's answer.**

Spoilers: Through episode 29. Also here's another case of 'Loon writes in present tense because it feels right'.

#

Even though Ichijo shares many of the concerns lying beneath it, the question still catches him off guard. He eyes Tsubaki for a moment, but his friend isn't even looking at him, giving him the freedom to consider his answer and Ichijo sighs.

"I trust him," is what he settles on saying, eyes once again trained on the hall Godai had just jogged down. And he does. He trusts Godai completely, in a way he's not sure he'd trust anyone else, even himself, with a power like Kuuga's. And yet, it's not Godai's character that has him worried.

"... But?" And damn Tsubaki for knowing it.

Ichijo sighs again, lowers himself onto the stool Godai had vacated. "But I'm worried about what this is doing to him." Not just the Amadam's physical effect, but the effects on Godai of being the only person who could fight the Unidentified Lifeforms, the Grongi, on their own level. Hearing the casualties... Godai had called it 'painful', but Ichijo suspects it runs even deeper than that.

He sees Tsubaki shake his head out of the corner of his eye, and turns as the doctor sighs. "It's more than anyone should have to handle," he says, lips pulling into a grim line. "He's the only one who can do anything, so he draws more power from the Amadam... to fight them, to protect us." He stands up, brushing invisible dirt from his coat. "Seems damn unfair, if you ask me."

And that's what Ichijo hates. Despite all their efforts, and the progress they'd made, Godai was still the one doing most of the work. How much more will the fight take from him, and how much is too much? Whatever it takes, Godai will give. Ichijo is sure of that. It's why Godai keeps brushing off the concerns of what the Amadam is doing to him. He'll keep fighting, because he's the only one who can. He's Kuuga.

"Tsubaki." He waits until Tsubaki looks at him before he continues, "When this is over, would it be possible to remove the Amadam?"

Tsubaki stares at him for a few seconds that feel eternal, and then he reaches out and claps his shoulder. "Come with me. I need a drink."

Their conversation is heavy enough that Ichijo's actually relieved when Tsubaki leads him to the vending machine in the hallway, rather than anywhere with liquor. Tsubaki clicks in his choice and turns to eye him. "Want anything? My treat."

"No, thank you." He can't deny a thin smile when Tsubaki shrugs and retrieves his can from the dispenser. Of course he knew Ichijo would refuse.

He's beginning to suspect Tsubaki of ignoring his question when he finally speaks, cracking the drink open and sitting in the chair beside the part of the wall Ichijo's claimed to lean on. "It's not a matter of removing the belt any more," he says, as if there hadn't been a gap in the discussion at all. "The Amadam and the belt have spread their own nerves through Godai's system; they're intertwined. It'd probably be fatal to even try separating them." He takes a long drink, and Ichijo leans his head back.

"That's what I thought." He remembers what Godai told him months ago, right after revealing he'd been the one to save him from Ichigou in the helicopter. He'd felt like the belt, the Amadam, was asking him to fight. Ichijo still doesn't know what to think of that. Godai he trusts. The half-intelligence that is the Amadam, that is Kuuga... he's not so sure of. Returning to the present, he looks down at Tsubaki. "I guess there's not much point thinking about it. It's not like he can stop fighting." Much as Ichijo wishes he could.

"Yeah." Tsubaki stares at his drink, then downs the rest of it in two gulps before sighing. "In the end, the one who makes the decision is him." He stands, crossing to toss his can in the recycling. "I believe in him... and in his thumbs-up." The faintest hint of amusement in his eyes as he faces Ichijo again, one hand forming the gesture that Godai has infected them all with.

Ichijo nods. They all believe in him. Speaking of... "Should we tell Ms. Sawatari about this?" She was already worried about Godai, but hiding the facts of the Amadam would not help.

Tsubaki nods with no hesitating, confirming Ichijo's sentiment. "Yeah, we should."

Before he can say anything more, footsteps alert him to turn towards the end of the hallway, where a nurse appears in view. "Detective Ichijo! You have a call from Headquarters."

"Thank you," he answers instantly, taking a moment to look at Tsubaki. "I'll leave it to you."

"Right."

And then he takes off down the hallway, towards the next crisis. He trusts Godai. He believes in Godai. And he'll do all he can to help, to ease the burden Godai has taken on for all their sakes.


End file.
